Steering wheel



R. H. CHlLTON STEERING WHEEL Sept. 4, 1928.

Filed Dec. 31, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wvanjh r wpum Girl 157' 3 AIR Sept. 4, 1928.

1,683,329 R. H. CHILTON STEERING WHEEL Filed Dec. 31, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 and of good appearance.: a V

Patented Sept. 4, 1928.

U NiIT ED RALPH 'nrcisinron or parses, onto, ASSIGN'BR To 'rnmtnn Manure-crowns COMPANY, or DAYTON; "OHIO, A ceeroaarron' or DELAWARE.

STEERING WHEEL.

Application filed December 3-1, 1923. Serial iio'. 883,536.

This invention relates to handwheels especiallysuch as those ordinarilyemployed as steering wheels on automotive vehicles.

7 An object of this invention is toprovide a h'andwheel which is'economical to manufacture and one whiclris at the same time strong Another object is to provide an improved construction and method for holding the separate parts of the wood hub construction tightly together while the glued surfaces are drying.

i lowing description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, wherein "a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown In the drawings p Y Fig. 1 is a-planv View ofa steering wheel built according to thisinventionbut with the top wood plate removed-to more clearly show the central construction. a i

Fig. 2 is a section along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 but shows the top woodrplate in position. Fig.3 is a plan View of a modified construction. I, k Fig. L is a section; along line 4-4 of Fig. 3. In the drawings, like or similar reference characters refer to like or similar parts throughout the several views. v v

Numeral 10 designates the rim of the steering wheel which maybe made in any suitable manner now well'known in the art. thought that a clear'description' of the construction of the wood spider can best be given by adescription of the method of construction. The separate wood spokes 11 I are formed from pieces of wood stock of the width shown by the dot and dash line: 12 in Fig. 1. The inner end'portions1-3 arereducedin width abruptly at the shoulders 1 1.

The side surfaces 15 of the inner ends 13 are preferably parallel to the center line of the spoke, butif desired the inner ends 13 may be tapered toward the center. The separate corner blocks 16 are formed to accurately fit the space between the inner ends '13 of two adjacent spokes and of the same thicknessas the inner ends of said spokes. A wood top plate This cut put-tofit over the entire central portion of the spider and has its edges beveled off to make a feather edge joint 18 with the upper surface of the dished spokes 11.

In assemblin-gthe spider, all the contact mg. surraces ofthe separate spokes 11, the

blocks 16, and the cover plate .17 have glue applied thereto and the spokes 11 and corner blocks 16 are loosely assembled in position. Inward radial pressure is then applied'by any suitable means upon the outer ends of all the spokes 1 1. It will" be clear from Fig. l'that this radial pressure will be transmitted from the spokes to the blocks 16 at the shoulders 14 and hence the blocks 16Tlill be pressed up against all theside surfaces 15 by the pressure at theputer ends ofthe spoke-s11. Of course the inner ends of the spokes 11 must be cut short enough to permit this radial pressure to be taken at the shoulders 14 in stead of at the nner ends of the spokes. This radial pressure is sustained until theglue has after the spokes andblocks 16 have been rigidly secured together to form an" integral structure 1n the manner described;

The central bore 20 is cutafter the top plate 17-is rigidly secured in place. The feather edge joints 18 between the top plate 17: and

' the upper surfaces I of the spokes makes a tighter more invisible joint andthe small thickness of plate 17 minimizes the tendency of any later shrinkage ofthe wood to cause the joints 18 to open up slightly. A flanged metal hub (not-shown)v isadapted to be secured to the wood l1ub 'portion *byattaching bolts extending through the holesr2l. Preferably these holes 21 extend through the center of each spoke 11 and each block 16 whereby all these parts aremore securely held together.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and l: the woodspokes 11 abutone another along the radial surfaces 32. andtheir inner. ends .13 are not reducedlaterally'but extend substantially straight 1n, as clearly shown. by the dotted lines 15 in Fig.3. The'inner ends of! the spokes are cut awayatthe topsur'face as clearly shownin section in'Fig. 4 The corner blocks 30 abut the side-surfaces 15 of two ad acent spokes and are of the same thickness as the inner ends 13. The corner blocks and spokes are rigidly glued together along the surfaces and the top plate 35 glued to the top surfaces of the niner ends 13 and the blocks 30, thus providing .a fiat grain to which the blocks and spokes will firmly adhere. The plate 35 is preferably laminated with the grains of the different layers crossed to give strength. In constructing this spider the blocks are first cut out with bluntcorners at the points 33 to prevent breaking or splitting olf of said corners. The top plate is also'first cut out to excessive, dimensions as shown by the dot and dash line 31. The spokes 11, the blocks 30, and the top plate 35 V have glue. applied to their contacting surfaces after which said parts are held clamped tightly together in their proper positions until the glue dries. The outer form of the plate 35 and blocks 30 are then cut down to the de sired shape to give a well appearing central hub portion. The corners 3-33 of the blocks 30, now being firmly glued in place, can be cut down to a sharp edge without danger of splitting or breaking off. Since the top plate 35 of this modification is of considerable thickness the thickness of wood stock required from which to cut the spokes 11 is considerably reduced, as shown by the dot and dash lines 40 in Fig. l. The grain of the wood in the spokes is substantially parallel to the center 7 line of the piece of wood stock 40 and hence there will be no loss of stock whatever due to cutting the spokes to have the desired'direction of grain.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, itis to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all. coming within the scope of the claims whichlfollow.

lVhat is claimed is as follows:

1. A steering wheel having a wood spider including, a plurality of wood spokes whose inner ends extend inwardly to a central bore, a plurality of separate wood blocks lying alternately bet-ween the inner ends of said spokes and rigidly secured thereto; and a wood cover plate covering the joints between said inner ends and'said blocks and rigidly secured to the top surfaces of said inner ends and said blocks by adhesive means to form a rigid hub portion, said cover plate having a feather edge joint withthe upper surface of said spokes.

2. The method of constructing a wooc spider including: forming wood spider spokes having shouldered reduced inner end portions, forming corresponding corner blocks to fit between adjacent shoulders on said spoke ends, applying glue to the inner ends of said spokes and corner blocks and assembling them together loosely, and then applying radial pressure upon the outer ends of all of said spokes simultaneously to firmly press together the contacting glued surfaces of said spokes and blocks until the glue dries.

3. The method of constructing a wood spider including: forming wood spokes 113V: ing inwardly facing shoulders at each side thereof near the inner ends of said spokes, forming separate wood blocks to fitwithin the spaces between the shoulders on the adjacent spokes, applying glue to the contacting surfaces between said spokes and blocks and assembling said parts loosely, and then applying inward radial pressure upon all of said spokes simultaneously'to firmly press to-- gether all the contacting surfaces of said spokes and blocks until the glue dries.

l. The method of assembling together separate wood spokes and separate wood blocksto form awood spider including: applying glue to the contacting surfaces or said spokes and blocks and loosely assembling said spokes and blocks in position, andthen applying inward radial pressure upon said spokes to firmly press together the contacting surfaces of said spokes and blocks until the lue dries.

5. A steering wheel having a continuous rim adapted to be grasped by the hand of the operator and a wood spider, said spider comprising: a plurality of separate wood spokes having inner ends extending inwardlyto a central bore, said inner ends being reduced in lateral dimension but having a vertical dimension not less than that of that portion-of the spoke extending from the hub to the rim,

plurality of separate wood blocks lying alternately between said inner ends and rigidly secured thereto, and a wood top cover plate covering the joints between said inner ends and said blocks and retained by adhesive means to form a rigid hub portion.

6; A steering wheel having a continuous rim adapted to be grasped by the hand of the operator and a wood spider, said spider comprising: a plurality of separate wood spokes having inner ends extending inwardly to a central, bore, said inner ends having a vertical dimension as great as that of the portion of the spoke extending from the hub to the rim whereby the cantileverstrength of said spokes is increased, a plurality of separate wood blocks lying alternately between said inner ends and rigidly secured thereto, and a central wood cover plate covering the upper surfaces of said blocks and inner ends and fixed in place by adhesive means to 'forma rigid structure.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.-

RALPH H. CHILTON.

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